DOES THE AIRPORT’S MAKEOVER FLY?

With more than half of the 88 new stores and restaurants open and Terminal 2’s convenient elevated roadway for departing-passenger drop-off up and running, the first phase of the San Diego International Airport’s much-needed makeover is ready for your inspection.

What has the $907 million “Green Build” project brought us so far? Passengers flying out of Terminal 2 have more food and shopping options, some of them local. Also better coffee and beer; a larger security area; 10 new gates and chairs with USB and phone-charger outlets. And a spa.

And passengers using Terminal 1, overstuffed home of the frequently flown Southwest Airlines? Say hello to your new craft brewery and Ryan Bros. coffee stand. The new food court and the adjacent Pacifica Restaurant are scheduled to open in November.

As you can see, not all of the improvements were created equal. Most of the new stuff is in Terminal 2, and because the bulk of the makeover action happened on the other side of security, you will need a boarding pass to take advantage of it. For those who have a ticket to fly, here’s a look at perks that await.

You are where?: With its cool, modernist expanses of glass, stainless steel and gleaming tile, the sleek interior design of Terminal 2 doesn’t scream “Welcome to San Diego!” so much as it murmurs, “Your robot manservant will see you now.” But what Terminal 2 lacks in blatant surf ’n’ sand boosterism it makes up for in unspoken bragging rights.

The palm trees in the food court aren’t real, but there is no faking the stunning views of sky, clouds and runway from the terminal’s many windows. Not to mention the infusions of natural sunlight pouring in from everywhere. It’s not homey, but it’s home. And by the time they leave, the people who don’t live here already will be wishing they did.

Best view: You don’t have to be a jet-setter to feel like one. Just saunter over to the Sunset Cove food court (Terminal 2 West), where you can buy a $21.99 glass of Veuve Clicquot “Yellow Label” Champagne from the Bubbles wine bar (or a $9.99 Gaslamp Burger from the Seaside Stack Shack stand) and ogle the runway through the floor-to-ceiling windows like you own the place.

Biggest missed opportunity: From Saffron’s drunken noodles to Stone Brewing Co.’s Ruination IPA, the airport made good on its promise to include local eateries (and drinkeries) in the food-concessions overhaul. Unfortunately, the new offerings do not include homegrown Mexican food. Yes, you can get a Chipotle-style assembly-line burrito at the airport, thanks to the Terminal 2 West outlet of the Qdoba “Fresh Mex” chain. And no, Qdoba does not count as homegrown Mexican food, even if it is owned by the San Diego-based Jack in the Box. Oh, Carnitas’ Snack Shack, where art thou?

Best excuse for loitering: While there is a head-scratching shortage of new San Diego airport art by San Diego artists, two pieces by out-of-towners have a beachy flair that helps warm up all that stainless steel.

San Francisco artist Jim Campbell gives us “The Journey,” ﻿a ceiling-suspended swath of LED lights featuring hypnotic images of seagulls and waves. Spend a few Zen-like seconds watching the shadows shift; your racing red-eye pulse will thank you. Then it is off to one of Terminal 2’s eight new bathrooms for a viewing of Rhode Island artist Erik Carlson’s “¿Donde Está?,” a series of impressionist video installations featuring dreamy footage from some of our most iconic beaches. The screens are embedded in the restroom entry walls, and they are the most fun you’ll ever have while lurking outside a public loo.

Homegrown heroes: Whether you are a visitor looking for a warm local welcome or a local needing a taste of home for the road, the following slices of San Diego should put you on the path to homegrown happiness:

The Verdict: After arriving in San Diego from Dallas, conventioneer Michael Lewis was relaxed and satiated, thanks to a massage at Be Relax and a plate of drunken noodles from Saffron. But like many shaky Lindbergh Field arrivals, he was just happy he landed at all.

“It’s real nice,” he said of the airport. “But it’s a little sketchy flying in by all those buildings.”